Mayor distributes incentives for DOTS volunteers

CHENNAI: Mayor M. Subramanian launched the scheme to provide incentives to volunteers helping in the implementation of the Revised National TB Control Programme in the city on Tuesday.

He gave away Rs. 250 each to 50 members of the public who have been helping implement the Direct Observed Treatment Short Course (DOTS) component of the scheme by distributing medicines to patients who cannot visit the tuberculosis (TB) treatment centres in the city.

Within the Chennai Corporation, there is one TB centre in each of the 10 zones, besides 42 testing centres and 164 treatment centres across the city.

For patients who cannot visit these centres three times a week for their medication, volunteers including former patients, government servants, people’s representatives and shopkeepers have been passing on their medication, said a press release.

Medical camps have also been planned in 1,300 slum areas. Mr. Subramanian also released hoardings to improve awareness about TB and the free treatment available. Other elected representatives and Corporation officials also participated in the event.

More than 6,600 of the 56,000 who were tested under the Revised National TB Control Programme in 2007 were found to have the disease and 90 per cent were fully healed, the press release said.